PM Modi To Meet Putin Today On SCO Summit Sidelines For Key Bilateral Talks

PM Modi-Putin Meeting Today: India-Russia Ties, Trade And Defence In Focus At SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek on Monday for bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, with India-Russia ties expected to be high on the agenda.

Putin is scheduled to arrive in the Kyrgyz capital on Monday and is expected to hold nine bilateral meetings during his visit, including discussions with PM Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maxim Oreshkin are accompanying Putin.

WHAT WILL MODI AND PUTIN DISCUSS?

The Modi-Putin meeting comes a day before the SCO leaders’ plenary session on Tuesday. The two leaders are expected to review the India-Russia strategic partnership, with discussions likely to cover trade, energy, defence and other areas of mutual interest.

The meeting is taking place against the backdrop of a shifting global geopolitical landscape, with India continuing to maintain its close strategic relationship with Moscow while balancing ties with other major powers.

PM Modi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday to attend the 26th SCO Summit, being held from August 31 to September 1.

He is also expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit. Xi arrived in Bishkek on Sunday, with the SCO gathering marking 25 years of the organisation.

SCO SUMMIT AGENDA

Kyrgyzstan is hosting the summit under the theme “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.”

The main Council of Heads of State meeting will take place on September 1. Leaders of the 10-member grouping are expected to discuss regional security, counter-terrorism, connectivity, trade, energy security and digital cooperation.

In his departure statement, PM Modi said India looked forward to advancing its regional vision based on “security, connectivity and opportunity.” He also said New Delhi would work with SCO members towards a region free from “terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

BRICS SUMMIT TO FOLLOW

The SCO summit comes ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, where several world leaders are expected to meet again.

The Modi-Putin talks in Bishkek will therefore be closely watched as India seeks to deepen cooperation with Russia while engaging with major powers on a range of regional and global challenges.